Certain electronic devices can generate a significant amount of heat. This heat must be removed from the device to prevent overheating leading to failure of the device. With current trends for increasingly smaller electronic devices, there is a need for smaller cooling systems.
One approach used in the art relies on miniaturizing large industrial/residential compressors such as reciprocating (piston) or rotary compressors. These systems work well for their current applications, but have limited application for sensitive electronic equipment because of there inherent large vibrational forces and power requirements. These compressors rely on positive displacement, such as a moving piston or rotary vane, and intermittent operation, to compress the working fluid, which is commonly a gas.
Electronic cooling units must be designed to a unique set of conditions that yield a narrow operating range for the electronic device's volumetric flow rate capacity. This translates into little flexibility for future applications, as any further increase in cooling needs is likely to restrict the operating range of the electronic device or push it out of specification.
Electronic devices found in advanced computing devices require stringent thermal-management needs. Specifically, the ever-increasing power dissipation needs of microprocessors found in advanced electronic devices and systems are quickly approaching available cooling system limits of volumetric flow rate needed for cooling beyond the operating range of existing systems.
New fluid handling systems for cooling of electronic devices are needed not only for the needs of future electronic devices, but to provide more efficient systems for current devices. They must provide for exceptionally small-scale integration, not interfere with the electrical interface of other components within the microelectronic package, and inexpensive to manufacture.